Consumer snacking behavior is changing. Snacking has expanded to occur at all times in the day, and is often looked upon as a meal replacement. The demand for healthier snacks continues to grow with an emphasis on products bearing claims for protein, absence of gluten, and being made from a simple list of ingredients.
One category of popular snack products is the crisp snack foods known as “chips” in the United States and as “crisps” in Europe. These products are usually fried and have high fat and carbohydrate content. Very low density snack products are also common in the marketplace, such as popcorn and cheese curls or cheese puffs. These products often also have high fat and carbohydrate content.
US Patent Application Publication Nos. 2014/0065285; 2014/0154395; 2014/0220225; and 2015/0064334, all to Alden, describe crunchy egg products that are stated to comprise a high egg percentage by volume and a low water content by weight, audible fracturing characteristics, and brittleness characteristics.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0089623 to Fannon describes a proteinacious food product formed by extrusion that is a stated to be a crisp or frangible product that is high in protein. The protein source for this product is preferably selected from seed products and legumes.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0022731 to Olson relates to high protein, low carbohydrate meal replacements and food. The Summary of the Invention indicates that the invention described therein relates to a new class of food that is crispy, tasty, and low in carbohydrates and has substantial levels of egg white protein and suitable shelf life for packaging in ready to eat form.